Underbrooke's Perilous War
by OutlawQueenofMystery
Summary: Arthur has pronounced his goal to fix a broken kingdom, but it won't be easy with the likes of many who want him destroyed further, Especially Cruella. Will the war of Underbrooke end with the king's likeness or fall into the hands of darkness forever more. - This will be the story right after Hook relives and Arthur wants to help the Underworld in Last Rites.
1. Chapter 001 - Returning Future King

**Underbrooke, Underworld:**

Walking around in her new velvet skin outfit, Cruella was roaming the now happily owned land of hers. She pranced towards the docks of the town and looked out with a solemnly sad face, lamenting her dearly departed lover.

"Oh, James." She pulled out a dark colored apple. "How I miss you so dearly, darling." Cruella whisked the apple into the _River of Lost Souls_ , watching the apple dissolve into the deathly waters. Cruella hoped that James would be able to find her symbol of love.

As Cruella turned around, with her head down. She looked up and saw the handsome man she had seen earlier. "Why darling, what a surprise?" She smirked, slightly biting her lip.

"I am here to take back this kingdom," Arthur demanded.

Cruella laughed. "How amusing, a dastardly king, who trick his wife into staying with him-wants to 'save' this town." She mocked, her lips puckering like a child and her eyes becoming puppy-like.

"How'd you know about my time in the living?" Arthur demanded.

"Please, darling. Anything, that's anything makes it down here. Your one of the hot gossips around here now." She explained. "Now, where's that sexy pirate friend of yours anyways?" She asked, slightly sighing with the thought of the two handsome men working together.

"He has moved on," Arthur explained. "Now, I must take this land as the new king."

Cruella only laughed. She then moved in closely to the old king of Camelot and touched his face with both of her gloved covered hands-deeply, looking into his eyes. "I will not let you take my chance at happiness, even if _I_ have to destroy you down here."

"Then I guess that's what must be done-witch."

Cruella growled at the man and then headed off on her way towards the town she was trying to corrupt as her own.

"Such a nasty bi-I mean witch she is." A woman's voice whimpered.

Arthur twirled in a circle, only to not see a thing. "Whose there?" He demanded.

A woman came walking from behind one the huge crates. She sported a white bob-cut and was in a long black and white aligned dress, with red beads designed around it. She curtsied to Arthur and gave a smile. "Sorry to startle you, my names Periwinkle." She introduced.

Arthur was taken back by how beautiful the woman was, yet she had such a soft toned voice, that you could barely hear.

"Nice to meet you, malady, I'm Arthur." He bowed within such an honorable stance.

"From Camelot, right?" She asked.

He nodded to her. He then looked out to the river of lost souls. "Why was she here by the waters of all these souls?" He asked.

Periwinkle sighed heavily and then walked next to him, looking at all the lost souls swimming around in agony. "She lost an actual true love of herself."

Arthur turned his attention to the young lady. "Really? That foul mouthed lady had a love?" He asked, not believing what he heard.

"As a matter of fact, she had two before. One from the living and one in the dead; she left the first one and the second died in this very river..." Periwinkle explained. "Not that he was liked by many, he was such a foul sheriff himself..."

"What was his name, if I may ask?" He asked.

"Prince James, the twin brother to the gallant Prince Charming."

Arthur turned back to the river and then back to Periwinkle. "You wouldn't happen to know how one might be able to kill a person already dead?" He asked.

"You're looking at it." She pointed to the river. "Unless..." She stopped.

"Unless what?" Arthur asked.

"Well, there is another way... but, it involves getting her unfinished business fulfilled."

* * *

 **Granny's Diner, Underbrooke:**

Cruella stormed her way into Granny's Diner, making her way to the bar area. "Darling, get me something good. Something real good." She requested.

Out from behind the kitchen, the Blind Witch showed herself. She smelled the area delightfully as she sensed her friend. "Why, Cruella." She said in a soft, yet chillifying tone. She had an ever growing smile that showed her sharp teeth and her cloudy blue eyes moved around blindly, even going cross-eyed for a moment. "Would you like a special drink made with the breath of the living?" She asked.

"Will it knock me out?" Cruella asked, leaning back in her seat.

The Blind Witch cocked her head in confusion, holding both hands in the air delicately. "Hm. What is the matter, friend?" She asked.

"Nothing." She growled. "That nasty rat is back!" She snapped. "Don't I ever get a nice break for once."

"Why don't you just get him to take a swim in the river of lost souls?" She suggested, cleaning the counter off and placing a drink down in front of her friend.

Cruella chugged the drink and let out a slight burp. "Nonsense. He already knows about it. I'm not risking my own gorgeous self just to have him take a dip and dissolved in that wretched water."

"Why don't you find someone who knows him then." The witch suggested again.

Cruella's face sprung with an idea. "Brilliant! That's why I keep you around." She smiled. "Now, how can I find that loser's past companions." She thought.

"I might be able to assist you." A man offered, behind her.


	2. Chapter 002 - Discoveries

Before Cruella, was another tall looking man. He sported normal-Land Without Magic clothing, as usual with residence in Underbrooke. He wore a black hoodie that shrouded his face from the devilish woman.

"And who might you be, darling?" She asked.

He grew a large and mischief smile. "I'm surprised that a woman that wants to own this land-didn't even know her kingdom's residences?" He said.

Cruella was caught off guard by the rude comment towards her. She brushed her coat off and looked at the man. "I am too busy of a woman to know every puny soul that enters here. Now," She walked closer to the man. "Tell me your name, or you have no importance to me." She demanded.

"Well, Madame Mayor," He leaned into her face, pressing his chest into her own. "The name is Sir Kay."

Still cheek to cheek with the man, she pulled down his hood. She revealed his face to be a dashing young man. "Wow, you are indeed a handsome looking devil-and a nice mouth on you I may add, darling." She said melting into his eyes.

Cruella looked at the back of her and saw the Blind Witch, smiling intently. She then looked back at Kay. "I think we need a new sheriff in town." She smiled.

"I would gladly accept then." He smiled back, giving a twinkle to his eyes.

"Blind Witch!" She called fourth.

"Yes, madame." She smiled.

"Let's head down to my new office and see what fun toys we have to play with, with our new friend."

* * *

 **Underbrooke, Docks:**

"So, how did you end up here?" Arthur asked politely.

Periwinkle smiled at him and then walked out into the town, with Arthur following closely.

"Well," She looked to him. "I came here by force." She smiled.

"Force?" He asked.

She nodded. "Hades,"

"The man I met in Storybrooke..." Arthur quietly stated to himself.

"He was an unhappy man who lost love in his heart. Being manipulated by power and greed." She explained. "After his love with a green witch named Zelena, he came back down and desperately wanted someone."

"To open his heart?" Arthur asked.

"Correct, the only way to do that, is to force a living soul to the dead."

"But how?" Arthur asked.

"With my heart..." She explained.

Arthur put some puzzle pieces together in his head, before asking her a simple question. "So, you're living?" He asked.

Periwinkle smiled again. "Let's just say, I may be alive-I might as well be dead, I have no heart inside my body."

"That's horrid!" Arthur exclaimed. "We must find your heart and get you back to the living!" He continued.

"Don't get in a fluster, Arthur." She tried to explain. "It's useless to find my heart, even if we try. We'll never get it with Cruella in town."

"Blah! She's not the devil!" Arthur retorted.

Periwinkle giggled a little.

"What?" Arthur asked.

Periwinkle found a small area with a slightly bruised bench and sat her tush right on it, with Arthur following.

"What was so funny?" He asked.

"It's ironic that you would say she's not the devil when her name is Cruella-De Vil."

Arthur's head spun in a circle by the irony, he even rolled his eyes. He now felt slightly disgusted even more by the repulsion of her name.

* * *

 **Underbrooke, Mr. Gold Pawn Shop:**

"Why isn't it a surprise." An older man said, walking into the pawn shop. Slightly smiling, like he knew the person running the shop. He went over to the counter and saw the face of a younger man, who was built greatly and wore a white robe with a cross bearing on it. His face lit up with happiness.

"Well, Well, Well. Jonathan Maig," He greeted. "What a nice sight to see, on a slight morbid term."

The older gentleman chuckled a bit. "Looks like our legend has deteriorated." He joked.

"Yet, we will always live on by our legends."

"So, Merlin." He asked.

"Yes," He replied with his full attention.

"What brought you here in Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop, down under?" He asked.

Merlin used his magic and arranged different arrangements of items on the counter. He then waved his hand once more and light shimmered from his fingers, turning the old wood into a new marble kind. It was more of a Merlin-Esq taste in a sense.

"I now own this shop."

Jonathan felt the counter with his hands and looked up to Merlin with a smile. "Expensive taste as always."

"Of course." Merlin brought his attention to a certain item in the glass case. He pulled out a small antique, it was a white boat-like item that had blue flower designs around it.

"What's this?" Jonathan asked.

Merlin knelt down and looked at the item carefully. "Remember when I was training you as my apprentice and I told you stories of the _Giramphiel_?"

"Of course, master."

"This here. Is the _Giramphiel_ itself." Merlin smiled.

Jonathan's eyes bloomed up and his mouth gave a slight awe effect. He then watched Merlin enchant the item with magic, making it glow a bit orange around it. "We need to leave this in the right hands."

"Right." Jonathan nodded.

"And I trust you with handling it," Merlin said, giving his consent to his apprentice.

"But, Merlin!"

Merlin held his hand out and closed his eyes. "Be quite, you know what has to be done. I trust you the most to carry out the most dangerous or precious tasks." He explained, slightly scolding the apprentice.

"I know, I know..." Jonathan took hold of the precious item in his hands and hid it in his robe. "Who shall I hand it too?" He asked.

"That is up to you to find out," Merlin explained. "You have my best judgment on hand."

With the wise master's words enchanting the apprentice with the item, he headed out of the store and out into the dingey hellish Storybrooke.

As Merlin tended to his new duties as the new Pawn Shop owner, a mystery guest entered forward, ringing the bell of the shop.

"May I help you?" Merlin asked.

The man, which stood at the same height as Merlin, but was more built. His muscles bulged out so much that it was a bit intimidating. Of course, Merlin wasn't frightened as he knew he was still more authoritative than most in Underbrooke. The man looked at Merlin with a sudden fearful face. "I need your help."

Merlin looked into the man twinkling green eyes, one scar hovering over the left one.

Merlin leaned in over his desk. "How may I help?" He asked.

"I need to find a certain item...that's from the living." He explained. "Your one of the most wisest and powerful here, you must have an idea to get it?"

Merlin nodded. "Indeed, I am powerful..but, I can't help beyond the dead..."

The man threw his fists on the marble desk, rumbling the floor. Merlin was in shock of the strength. "Such a Hercules, I see."

"Uck!" The man spat, disgust obviously was in his face. "Don't compare me to that intolerable punk." He shouted.

"Alright. I see your not a fan." Merlin said. "Who are you?" He asked.

"I'd rather not say-at least yet anyways." The man explained.

"Fair enough."

* * *

 **Underbrooke, Underworld-Hades' Lair:**

Cruella laughed maniacally as she was looking through a glass ball of Hades'. She saw the conversation that Merlin was having with both the apprentice a _nd_ the odd muscle man.

"So, Merlin died, darlings," Cruella explained.

"I've never liked that Merlin." The Blind Witch expressed.

"Get over it. What does he have over us, we're all dead." Kay explained.

"True," Cruella agreed. "But, Darling... he's still more powerful than _**ME**_!" She ferociously barked at the man.

"How powerful are you anyways?" Kay asked, looking through some weapons of Hades.

"Enough to have a dragon eat you ali- you know what I mean."

"But, you are a witch," Kay said. "Right?"

Cruella fluffed her coat and gave him a domineering and flirting like pose. "Yes, darling."

"Than show us some magic then."

Cruella was caught off guard. She didn't think that anyone would challenge her authority like that, at least not of yet.

"She doesn't need to prove her worth to you, sheriff!" Blind Witch retorted, trying to stand up for her fellow witch.

Cruella held her hand out to the witch. "Down girl. It's alright, he wants to see my awesome powers-that's what he'll get." Cruella winked.

The Blind Witch was intrigued by what she meant, seeing as she didn't have magic besides controlling animals and couldn't even harm a fly if she tried. So, what Cruella had planned, was really up for grabs. She was slightly blessed to be blind and not being able to see the embarrassment of her friend.

"Well?" Kay insisted.

"Right." Cruella walked over to the throne of Hades' and dropped her coat on Kay's lap as he sat on a chest. She focused her sight on one of the rivers in front of them and started to raise both her arms up. Kay looked intently at the river and then at Cruella, he knew she was stalling a bit by "trying to call upon her powers."

"I command thee," Cruella recited. "Almighty powers..."

" _Lame._ " Kay coughed under his breath.

"Quite!" Cruella demanded, suddenly her voice echoed throughout the cave, giving a shake and tumble around them. Blind Witch tumbled over a chest and knocked it over.

Both Cruella and Kay focused their full attention to the chest knocked over by the witch. Cruella was sort of glad her friend was clumsy, so she didn't have to make a fool of herself.

"I am so sorry, Cruella..." The Blind Witch apologized.

"No need babe," Cruella said, she knelt down and saw a shiny tiara. She picked up slowly and looked at its beautiful glowing appearance. "It's gorgeous." She said.

"Hey, what's this hope chest?" Kay curiously asked, picking it up. It was a shiny golden color with a red heart design where the lock was. It had a name inscribed on it with white. "Persephone." He read out loud.

"Keep it!" Cruella ordered. "I don't have a need for a box that was inside a damn box."

"You sure?" Kay asked.

"Witchy!" Cruella called over.

"Yes." The Blind Witch smiled.

"Take this man out of my beautiful lair, I have to have some private time with my beautiful tiara." She ordered.

The Blind Witch bowed and took orders correctly, escorting Sir Kay out of the lair to his dismay. Cruella sat heavenly on her throne, putting her coat back on and looking at the tiara with glossed eyes. She beamed a little smile. She then raised it into the air and placed it perfectly on her head, she felt a weird sensation she had never felt before-even when she had alone time with James. The sensation surged through her bones.

She opened her eyes and they turned a silver-green color.

"I feel oh so bad." She grinned.


	3. Chapter 003 - Giramphiel's Behalf

"Apprentice," Kay said, revealing himself behind a tree. They stood in the dusty forest of Underbrooke. The Apprentice was still holding onto the Giramphiel that was trusted upon by Merlin himself.

"Ah, Sir Kay. I see Cruella's got you under her wing now." He spoke, still turned away from the man behind him.

"Yeah, and what's it to you." He yammered. "I'm the sheriff here in Underbrooke and I demand you show me what you're hiding from us." He ordered

The apprentice could only muster up a chuckle as he saw the young man try to intimidate him. "Young Kay, I have so much more wisdom than you-"

"I don't care old man! You may have been powerful in the living, but were in the dead now, and you couldn't kill me if you tried." He mocked, standing with his hands in the middle and his face giving a dominating look. His stance meant more than his words.

"Kay. Let me ask you this?"

"What?" Kay exclaimed.

"If you so bad. You go to Tartarus-Hell, you do good and you go to Olympus Elysium." The apprentice recited.

"Yeah? And..."

"And, even though we may be here and I _do_ still have more power than you here, where will you end if you help Cruella in this war?" He asked.

Sir Kay cocked his head in confusion. He didn't have an answer for once.

"Cat got your tongue, young man." The Apprentice joked around. He then turned his body around to Kay and smiled, giving wisdom to the air as it started to breeze around them. Pushing their bodies and hair in one direction. "If you want to know so badly, this is the item I must handle." The apprentice said, revealing the small antique like weapon under his garbs.

"You just going to show it to me?" Kay asked.

"Of course, why wouldn't I?" The apprentice asked. "It's not like you could take me down to get it." He smirked.

Before Kay could say a word, the old man had departed quickly in a smoke of red.

* * *

 **Underbrooke, Mayor's Office:**

Before the doors of the office to the Mayor, the apprentice appeared. He walked without a care inside, sort of like he had an idea up his sleeves.

When he made inside, by easily waving his hand. He saw the attention of the Blind Witch.

She lightly sniffed the air. "Well, if it isn't a surprise." She spoke, licking her lips.

The apprentice waved his hand in front of the cloudy-eyed woman.

"I can sense you, you idiot." She snapped, being insulted by the man.

"Just making sure." He smiled.

"Are you looking for the Mayor?" She asked.

"Indeed not." He answered. "I am actually looking for a great soul that has entered the Underworld." He explained.

"Well, they wouldn't be here, that's for sure." She laughed.

"Fair enough." He nodded.

"But," The Blind Witch walked closer to the old man, with a look of endearment. "I could always take care of that special item," The Blind Witch pushed his robe backwards and forced the item to be revealed to her. As she went in to grab the Giramphiel from his hands, Arthur came bursting through the doors with Periwinkle by his side. The distraction gave enough time for the apprentice to knock the sightless witch against the walls of the Mayor's office.

"I don't do fondness to lustful thoughts." the Apprentice called out.

The Blind Witch raised her head to sense the three aurae of Arthur, Periwinkle, and Jonathan. She didn't show much threat but she did move her head around like a snake's body, it was as if she was possessed-her eyes didn't help many matters either. She raised her body up and sniffed politely at the three of them.

"What is she doing?" Arthur asked, moving his eyes to the side of him but still focusing on the witch before them.

"She's just intimidating, nothing less." The Apprentice said.

"He's right, her spells are as strong as a Druid," Periwinkle added.

The Blind Witch barked at Periwinkle's remark and pushed both men out of the way with her "half-baked" magic. She simply raised the woman into the air. "How am I doing now?" She mocked, curling her upper lip. She gave a distaste look on her face.

"Pre..tty good," Periwinkle muttered from her choke hold she was in. "I...I think you..for..got.."

" _ **Forgot what?!"**_ The Blind Witch snapped. It wasn't easy to piss the witch off that much, even when she was burned in her own oven-she could have been more vicious to Regina than she was.

Suddenly she was chucked forward again, this time by Arthur's bare hands. The choke-hold she had on Periwinkle diminished once she was knocked over.

Before anything else could be done, she had engulfed herself in a misty blue smoke, disappearing from the group.

"Periwinkle..." Arthur shouted, scurry towards his new friend as she fell almost lifeless on the ground.

She opened her eyes and smiled at the man. He touched her cheek with his left hand and gave her a warm and grateful smile. She guided herself back up and looked at the Apprentice.

"Well, if it isn't Arthur. I had a feeling you'd be down here someday, just not like this." The old man said, trying to get a slight rise from Arthur.

Arthur only smiled, not giving the man the time of day. He only bowed.

"You guys know each other?" She asked.

"Sort of..." Arthur said.

"I'll break this tension by saying, I forgive you." The Apprentice said. He then pulled out the Giramphiel and showed it to the two of them. "I want to hand you something anyways."

"What is it?" Arthur asked, curious of what the item was.

"This is called the Giramphiel, Merlin used to tell me tales of this item," Jonathan explained.

Periwinkle moved in closer with her eyebrows rising up and her eyes looking sharply at the item. "Curious." She spoke.

Apprentice still holding onto the item, hovered his hand over it and magically altered the boat appearance into a simple stone that was the measly size of a child's palm.

"And curiouser..." Periwinkle said, amazed by the transformation.

"I don't understand?" Arthur asked, not as amazed as his friend-seeing as it's only a rock now-not even the size of his hand.

"The Giramphiel was a gift from the gods that was given to a noble knight who used it in his battle with a dark force, it also gave him strength beyond compare." The Apprentice explained, gaining both attention now. "It can only be trusted by one pure soul that was destined to fight evil down here," He looked to Arthur. "And I believe it to be you."

Arthur was taken back by the trust he had just received. He shook his head in shock and gave an understanding look to the older gentleman.

"Now, please take this and fight off what is in stored for you." The Apprentice handed over the stone.

"But," Arthur couldn't get any more say as the man disappeared in his smoke of red magic.

"Arthur." Perriwinkle leaned in. "He trusted you with the Giramphiel."

"Which means my quest must be destined to restore this land." Arthur pronounced.

"Not if I can stand for it!" A man's voice echoed through the room. Everyone turned their attention to the man speaking to Merlin before. Arthur, being unarmed since his stay in the Underworld-couldn't strike fear or even defend himself.

The man walked into the room more, pacing forward and then backwards, like a pendulum. His face was slightly amused and he knew that he could easily wipe them both in one second-only he didn't want too. He took off his hoodie and revealed a smooth, bald scalp-with some bruises on top his head.

"So, you're going to be the one to save this town and end up leaving to Elysium Olympus?" The man questioned.

"Depends," Arthur remarked.

The man laughed. "Blah! What a fool to trust."

"How dare you insult me, knowing I have power on my side." Arthur retorted.

"Power?" The man questioned. "You make me laugh, you would never stand a chance against the gods and the power's they behold." The man walked up closer and looked into both Arthur and Periwinkle's eyes as they stood just inches away. "You better watch yourselves-there is more evil here than you both can believe..."

The man's words were left in our heroes minds as he walked away, it was strange that he didn't put up a fight or even a tussle with them. Arthur felt more suspicious about him and knew not to trust anyone that easily.

"We should head off to the Sherrif's office and find some clues," Periwinkle suggested.

"Right," Arthur agreed, before he left, he quickly scanned the area and grabbed himself a cane laying against the wall. "I need some type of protection." He remarked as they exited the Mayor's Office.

* * *

 **Underbrooke Woods:**

The Apprentice made himself back through the woods he liked to escape too. He found it quite and yet sometimes a bit more quite since he didn't have a person like an old friend of his around anymore. "God bless you, Henry." He said, kissing his thumb and wavering it over the sky.

Suddenly a chill formed the air, something crept up the Apprentice's spine. He knew it had to be the force that Merlin had warned him about. Of course, he wasn't as scared as he knew he was already dead-what else could they really do?

"Oh, Jonathan." A woman's voice marched around to his ears. It had a slight English accent and was certainly familiar to him.

Still with his back turned. "Ah, I see you've found a loophole to your limited powers." He said.

"Why indeed I have-how bout'cha give mama some love and hand over that artifact nicely." The woman requested.

"You see while you have power. I do not behold the Giramphiel anymore." He explained.

"What?!" She gasped.

"That's right, Arthur is the one you will be facing." The Apprentice turned around. " _Cruella De Vil_."


	4. Chapter 004 - Devil Wears Prada

Sitting around ironically in Mary Margaret's loft, Arthur looked at the Giramphiel carefully like a hawk would at its prey. He looked over to Periwinkle who smiled back at him. She made her way towards him and sat next to him.

"I'm sure you'll be the best hero this realm has ever seen—or even had." She assured.

Arthur turned to her and smiled greatly from the compliment. "If only I knew what evil I was up against." He said.

Periwinkle shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe it's Cruella?" She suggested.

"Nah, she's too easy to be a great threat..." He said.

"True, but she had declared herself the 'ruler' of this realm already." Periwinkle reminded.

"Still... would you actually think the Apprentice would warn me about Cruella?"

Periwinkle shrugged her shoulders once more. "I don't know, but stranger things have happened before..." She picked herself up from the chair, grabbing a white fluffy coat and a matching hat; heading out of the loft, but before she did she looked at Arthur.

"No matter what the evil is, I know you can take care of it for good."

"Thanks," Arthur got up. "Where are you headed too?" He curiously asked.

"Somewhere." She said, leaving without a definite answer.

Arthur disregarded Periwinkle and eventually headed out himself. He held the stone closely to his body, keeping it protected as much as he could. He was still curious about its level of power and what it could actually maintain in a fight. The only way to find out is to find the dark force everyone has warned him about and see what it could do against it.

As Arthur headed towards the street of Underbrooke, he stopped at the clock tower that had been smashed deeply into the ground, now almost engraved into it. It ticked once, giving the time of 12:12. Arthur knelt down to give it a closer look, noticing how it was still moving even while being smashed to oblivion. He then moved his attention across to the library.

He made an exit inside and slowly walked closer to an elevator, that had a reading of crypt letters. He ran his fingers across the doors brittle message. "How odd." He said. Suddenly the doors sprung open, letting out a brisk cold air to his skin. He felt a shiver down his spine as he stood before the open doors. He knew it wouldn't be the best of ideas to go through, but his body went away anyways, like a force of nature forced him to go through and lose all sense of his body.

When he entered, he turned around and the doors slammed shut, swiftly pushing Arthur backwards. "Bloody hell?!" He exclaimed. Before anything, the elevator moved downwards, every inch the elevator moved faster and faster. It was so fast, it blew his hair upwards and he lost balance-almost losing gravity in his body. Suddenly the elevator stopped in an instant. The doors moved open and revealed a rocky area, almost like a cave.

He moved out and looked around, closely examining his surroundings. "Hello?" He called out.

His voice echoed through the cave, giving a slight rumble to the ground.

"No need to holler, darling." A familiar foe replied, walking out so nonchalantly. "Welcome to my home." She introduced.

"Cruella!" Arthur shouted, taken back by the woman. He felt off guard, seeing as he didn't have his sword at all with him.

"I see your getting accustomed to our ways of dressing," Cruella said, licking her lips at the man. Noticing his modern apparel.

"Where am I?" He demanded.

Cruella scoffed with laughter. "Must I really explain where you are?" She teased.

"I'm warning you." He threatened.

She rolled her eyes, "Settle down darling, let me show around." She guided Arthur towards the entrance of Hades'—now Cruella's lair. He noticed the different colored rivers flowing graciously on every side.

"I wouldn't touch any of them, I heard you'll end up in worst predicaments." She smirked, laying her coat on a rack and resting her pups on an ottoman.

"Why is it so..."

"So, _spotted_?" She continued.

He turned around, "Yeah..."

"Well, it was between stripes of black and white _or_ spots—and who doesn't like a good spot around. Especially when you've skinned them alive anyways." She explained.

"Not a fan of dots?" He sarcastically asked.

Cruella scoffed with disgust. "As if darling, now as much as I love a good fashion tip, I would rather like to talk about that special item in your coat."

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Don't be so modest, king. I'm not a bad person." Cruella gave a puppy dog eye to Arthur, "At least not to everyone." She started to smirk.

"As if, Devil!" Arthur hissed. "I would never hand _you_ a special weapon like the Giramphiel."He glared at the fashionista.

"Ah," Cruella got up, she placed her eyes into Arthur's and opened her mouth. "Now we're getting somewhere." She touched Arthur's face with her red gloved hand, "Hand the Giramphiel over, handsome."

Arthur smacked Cruella's hand off his face and pulled himself backwards. "Never, woman! I will fight to my death before I hand this over to you."

"How ironic," Cruella smiled. "Let's not make this any harder than it needs too," She pulled her glove off. "Or I'll have to show the hand of a queen."

Arthur gave a chuckle in his stomach. "You make me laugh, we all know that all you can do is control animals," Arthur looked around. "And it looks like you got rid of most of the deceased ones here."

"Oh, ho, ho." Cruella wiggled her pretty little finger, "Quite contrary, Arthur." She growled.

Arthur cocked his head in confusion.

Cruella moved backwards and her crown started to glow, "Oh, how you all underestimated me..." She raised on hand up and flicked her wrist, sending Arthur flying back. He almost landed himself in the green river. Cruella walked forward with a great smile on her face, sharp teeth peeking out of her mouth. Arthur looked up to the strange magical occurrence of Cruella.

"How..."

"Like I said, Arthur." She leaned down, "I have more power than one can imagine... and I can kill on top of it."

"That's impossible, I heard you were weak?" He questioned.

"I _was_ weak, well, at least I had the spirit—now I have all the power I want with this special crown upon my head," Cruella explained.

She got up and forced her coat back on herself. "Now, hand over the Giramphiel or I'll have to...crush you like a bug, doll face." She turned around and revealed a devilish look on her face.

Arthur quickly got up and ran fast towards the entrance of the cave, Cruella held her hand out and forced a purple magic towards his way. Arthur luckily dodged the blow and it hit the side of the cave, rumbling the inside horribly. Arthur ran outside and made his way towards the elevator door, but something caught his eye on the side.

He felt a dark presence, even more so than Cruella's and it made him shiver like before. He swore he could feel someone watching him, but he couldn't know for sure—especially now.

"Oh, darling!" Cruella's voice looped through the cave.

Arthur brought himself back to reality and ran inside the elevator, not knowing how to get back up or anything. Suddenly the doors shut like before and forced itself up top. Arthur knew that even when leaving the cave, that didn't mean Cruella was stopped. It was only a time when she would leave her den and present herself back to the top—with unstoppable powers on her side now.

Arthur threw himself out of the elevator and onto the floor. He looked at the destroyed flooring and gave out a huff of breath, "We've got trouble ahead of us."


End file.
